Rebel Love
by MaryRose
Summary: Beka's in prison? How? What? Why? Read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Beka Valentine didn't feel despair. She had been in tough spots before in her life but always before all her energies were devoted to getting out of them. She'd never had time to feel despair before because she was always too busy.

But right now, right in this place there was nothing to do so she had the time to think and feel. Beka looked around the cell she was being held in. It was cold and damp and it wasn't particularly clean either.

She was sitting on the floor with her back up against the wall, debating whether or not to bring her head down to rest on her pointed up knees. Beka finally decided that that would be too desperate of a posture to adopt. She may have felt it but she didn't have to show it. And she was determined not to show it. She had to keep the faith that she'd get out of here on her own. She would. She had to. She wouldn't spend the rest of her life here. She couldn't.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

One month ago.

"Dylan, I need some time off."

Dylan stared at Beka. "Now?"

"Yes, now. Things are finally pretty stable and all. And you know I was a big part of making all that happen. I just want to collect my just reward."

Dylan sighed. "I know the World Ship is gone and that's good but we're still rebuilding the Commonwealth. There are still a lot of corrupt and miserable worlds out there that could use our help. And I could use yours."

Beka kept her temper. "Dylan, that's always going to be true, it's never going to be perfect. My point is that things are now as stable as they going to get. And I need to get away. I just have to. I'll be back, I promise. I just need this."

He looked at her. The war had taken its toll on her; it had on all of them. "Fine. Go on shore leave. Take as long as you want. I hope you come back but if you don't it was nice working with you."

"Don't be like that. I said I was coming back and I will. You have my word on that."

"O.K. It's just… Are you sure you aren't going to off to make one of those shady deals you used to make a living at."

"Of course not. Why would you even say that?"

"I don't know. Never mind. You'd better go."

"O.K. I'll see you in a couple of weeks O.K." She left.

Dylan looked after her. "I don't know why but I've got a bad feeling about this."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapters are still short because I was kind of stuck here. I wrote this is a challenge and was still trying to figure out where I wanted to go.

Chapter 3

Beka piloted the Maru away expertly. It was kind of nice to be off on her own again. It was just like old times.

It wasn't that she didn't like being on Andromeda; on the contrary, she really loved it. But the Maru was her ship and first and foremost, it would always be home to her. But it was also nice to be off on her own.

Beka loved her crew; they were her family. But it was possible to overdose on family, after all. Everybody needed time to themselves to just do whatever the hell they wanted without anybody bothering them about it. She was taking that time now.

Beka knew where she was going. Shockingly enough she was going to a planet. Beka hated planets normally but what the hell? She needed to get away and it wasn't as if she was going to stay there permanently. She's go back to the Andromeda eventually to take up her life again where she had left off.

Now the planet was coming into view. It was pretty out of the way. Off the beaten path, so to speak. But so what? She was just going to spend her time there and leave. What could possibly go wrong?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Beka landed in the spaceport and secured the Maru before heading out. She had no idea what she wanted to do or even what there was to do. Planets weren't really her thing normally. She just felt like getting out and doing something totally different for a much needed change.

Not really sure where to start or where to go, being a stranger here, Beka figured she'd go someplace that every planet and drift had—a bar. Beka felt comfortable in them. She'd been in enough all her life.

Luckily there was one not too far from the spaceport. Beka entered and checked out the action. It was your standard ordinary bar/casino. All kinds of drinks were being served and many gambling games were going on.

Beka took a seat at the bar and ordered a Sparky Cola. Harper wouldn't have believed it if he were there. She could hardly believe it herself. But Beka figured why not try it? It wasn't too bad.

She finished it and then got up to leave. "Hey want to join us?" A male voice called to her. Beka turned towards it. From one of the gaming tables, a tall, muscular, dark man called. "You look like the gambling type. We're playing poker? Care to try your luck?"

Beka thought for a minute. 'Why the hell not?' It would be something to do. She took a seat at the table. She knew how to play poker. This could be fun. "Deal me in."

At first things were O.K. But then Beka noticed the guy who called her over was cheating. That annoyed her greatly. "Hey, you, if you can't play, don't play but don't cheat."

He was indignant. "I don't cheat."

"Well, excuse me, but I know cheating when I see it." She didn't add that that was because she had done her fair share of it over the years. "You were cheating."

"I wasn't and I'll thank you to keep your mouth shut."

That was the last straw. "Nobody tells me to shut up."

'Well, I'm telling you."

"I won't."

Then he shoved her. She shoved back and he bumped into another patron who then took a shot at them. Before too long the whole place had erupted into a brawl. Chairs and tables were flying allover the place. It was inevitable that the security force for this planet would be called in. And they were. And they hauled off and arrested everyone involved. Including Beka Valentine.


	5. Chapter 5

"This is a mistake. I shouldn't be here."

"Oh, really." The booking agent raised her eyebrows. "Were you or were you not involved in a barroom brawl?"

'Well, O.K. Yes, I was. But I didn't start it."

"It doesn't matter who started it. You were involved in it. So now this is what happens. The booking agent nodded to the guard. "She's been processed. You can take her away now." The guard nodded.

"No. Just where the hell are you taking me?"

"To start your sentence for participating in a brawl."

"Sentence? As in prison? For a brawl? Wait just a minute. That's way out of proportion to what I actually did.

"Perhaps where you come from but not here. This is how we do things here."

"Well, then what about a trial? I should at least have a chance to defend myself. It's only fair."

"A trial? What for? We already know you are guilty. Take her away."

The guard pulled Beka along. She couldn't believe it. This couldn't be happening to her. All she had done was to try and fine a place to get a little relaxing time, to get away from it all. Because even Beka Valentine was entitled to some R and R.

But it seemed the universe did not agree. And now she was stuck on some unknown planet with no way to get to the Maru or to call the Andromeda for help. And because she hadn't exactly been specific on how long she'd be gone, who knew how long it take for them to start growing worried and start looking for her? And even if they did, how would they ever find her?

The guard had reached the cell and now unceremoniously threw her in. "Let me out! I don't belong here!" But the guard ignored her and leisurely walked back up the way he had come. Beka was stuck and she was in trouble. Bad trouble.


End file.
